Caster.



THOMAS F: JENNINGS, OF ROCHESTER, NEM' YORK.

casarme.

Speeilicetion of Lettera Patent.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Application tiled September 25, 1908. Serial No. M4333. i

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that Iflnoaias F. JENNINGs,

of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and h State ot New York, have invented certain ne and useful improvements in Uasters; and l do hereby dechire the following to be a full, clear, and exact description -ot' the saine. reference being had to the accoinpanying drawings, t'ormin" a part ot' the speciticatioii, and to the re eieiicl-hniiinerals marked thereon. I

lhe present invention relates to casters and it has tor one object to provide a strong 4and durable structure that may be inexpensively manufactured from sheetniaterial, and for another object to make provision whcrel'iy a simple anti-friction device may be employed for removin the strain from the bearing in which the pintle is supported.

rl`o these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully deformed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specilicat'ion. t

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view ot' a easter embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a like view, thecaster frame being shown in vertical section; and Figs; 3, 4 and 5V show respectively an elevation, vertical section.r aiiditop view' ofthe caster frame.

ln this embodiment ofthe invention the' .i top 'wail 6 may be provided and eonuects the wheel supporting arms at their uppeil ends. Preferably this top Wall is formed in one piece with the vertical wall 1 and. is connected thereto by av bend 7 It rests upon the upper edges of the Wheel supporting arms and is connected thereto by solder or other suitable means. rThe edge of the top wall at the bend 7 is notched or eut away to provide a curved bearing 12 alining with the curved bearing of the vertical wall ai'ulsci'ving to take a `Lreat deal of the strain that would otherwise be imposed oli-the straps 2.

lion tl at its lower end tittiiig in the bearing oi thc iraiiie, and it is held in position by a spring tongue l() that is integrI 1al with and preferably depends from one of the straps 2 .beingflient inwardly at its iree end to cnrage with an annular groove l1 toi-mcd iii the bearing 9 of the pintle.

ln orderto reduce the strain on `the bearing straps f2 the pintle 8 may be provided with a surrounding abutment 13 in the form of a disk swag-ed onto the pintle againstv a shoulder l-l thereon. 'lhis abutment is adapted to coi'iperatc with an anti-friction device arranged on the top wall 6 and in this instance comprising a ball 14 seated in a depression l5 in the top af cage secured to the top. Preferably the cage is in the form of a supporting ring 16 carryinh(r a-ball retaining portion '1S contorming to the ball and open at its upper end. Fingers 17 may be extended from the ring 11' and secured within openings 19 in the-.top on the sides of the depression l5.

The pintle bearing 9 is adapted to be fitted and removed t'i'om the bearingv of the caster frame by pushing and pullingr respectively on the cud of the pintle. that fits into the furniture lcgr. and the tongue 10 yields to permitl this action. Vet at the saine time effectively holding the pintle in position.

'l`hc cons riictioii of the parts is' such that the strain on the caster is distributed overl a \.uubc1' ot'. points so that there is little liability ot' the parts breaking or z rettiii'ger 'out of order.

I claim as my invention.

l. The combination with a casterfwlieel; of a trame in which it is jouriialed compris- 'lhc pintlc S has a reduced bearing porand held therein by .f A

ing a vertical w all having abeari'ng portion.

wheel supporting arms extending from opl pos-ite. sides of the vertical wall and a top wall connecting.: the wheel supportinpr arms; a pintle adapted to turn in the. bearing poring abutment overhangriiig .the top wall; and an anti-friction device held at one side of the pintle between the top wall and the overhanging abutment on .the pintle. l

Q. A frame for casters made from sheet tion of the'traine and cari-ying a. surround.

material and comprising a vertical vWall hav-1 y.

ing n hearing' portion formed' by straps alternately curved in opposite directions, wheel supporting'arrns projecting from 0ppopte edges of the vertical Wall end aJ top wall extending from the upper edge of the vertical Wall, resting on the upper edges of the wheel supporting arms and having a curved .bearing alined with the bearing portion ofthe bearing Wall.

23. caster frame made from sheet malei-inl and 'comprising a vertical wall having :i bearing-portion formed by straps altermately curved in opposite directions, one of said straps having u spring tongue to cooperate with a pintle 1n the bearing, and wheel supporting arms projecting from 0p- 'posite edges of the bearing Wall.

4. The combination with :i caster frame comprising :t vertical Wall, having n. bearing, wheel supporting arms projecting from 0pposite edges of the vertical Wall,`n.nd a top wall connecting the Wheel supporting arms and providedwvith a depression and openings on the sides of the depressibn, of a f pintle adapted to turn in the bearing of the -vertical Wall and having an abutment surroundingjit and overhanging the top Wall;

u bull sented in the depression of the top Wall und adapted to he engaged by the snrrounding abutment on the pintle; und :1 enge, 1

over the bull provided with tongues scoured in the openings in the top Wall.

The combination with n euster tranne having a. top Wall provided with n depression, of a pintle jonrnuled in the frame und port-ing arms projecting from opposite.

edges of the vertical wall and :t top wall extending from the upper edge of the ver tical wall and having curved bearing for engagement by :t pintle cooperating with the straps.

THOMAS F. JENN] N GS. Witnesses HENRY W. HALL, HAROLD H. SIMMs. 

